Study Desk

God asked Yonah, "Is it right for you to be so angry about the castor-bean plant?" He answered, "Yes, it's right for me to be so angry that I could die!"

So shouldn't I be concerned about the great city of Ninveh, in which there are more than 120,000 people who don't know their right hand from their left — not to mention all the animals?"

"So I will make Shomron a heap in the countryside, a place for planting vineyards; I will pour her stones down into the valley, laying bare her foundations.

But lately my people behave like an enemy, stripping both cloaks and tunics from travelers who thought they were secure, so that they become like war refugees.

Then they will call to Adonai , but he will not answer them; when that time comes, he will hide his face from them, because their deeds were so wicked.

But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times.

class="poetry"> But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times. Therefore he will give up [Isra'el] only until she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his kinsmen will return to the people of Isra'el. He will stand and feed his flock in the strength of Adonai , in the majesty of the name of Adonai his God; and they will stay put, as he grows great to the very ends of the earth; and this will be peace. If Ashur invades our land, if he overruns our fortresses, we will raise seven shepherds against him, eight leaders of men. They will shepherd the land of Ashur with the sword, the land of Nimrod at its gates; and he will rescue us from Ashur when he invades our land, when he overruns our borders. Then the remnant of Ya‘akov, surrounded by many peoples, will be like dew from Adonai , like showers on the grass, which doesn't wait for a man or expect anything from mortals. The remnant of Ya‘akov among the nations, surrounded by many peoples, will be like a lion among forest animals, like a young lion among flocks of sheep — if it passes through, tramples and tears to pieces, there is no one to rescue them. Your hand will be raised over your enemies; all your adversaries will be destroyed. "When that day comes," says Adonai , "I will cut off your horses from among you and destroy your chariots. I will cut off the cities of your land and lay waste your strongholds. I will cut off sorceries from your land; you will no longer have soothsayers. I will cut off your carved images and standing-stones from among you; no longer will you worship what your own hands have made. I will pull up your sacred poles from among you and destroy your enemies. I will wreak vengeance in anger and fury on the nations, because they would not listen."

So listen now to what Adonai says: "Stand up and state your case to the mountains, let the hills hear what you have to say."

My people, just remember what Balak the king of Mo'av had planned, what Bil‘am the son of B‘or answered him, [and what happened] between Sheetim and Gilgal — so that you will understand the saving deeds of Adonai ."

Why do you make me see wrongdoing, why do you permit oppression? Pillage and cruelty confront me, so that strife and discord prevail.

Your eyes are too pure to see evil, you cannot countenance oppression. So why do you countenance traitors? Why are you silent when evil people swallow up those more righteous than they?

Then Adonai answered me; he said, "Write down the vision clearly on tablets, so that even a runner can read it.

so that people toil for what will be burned up, and nations exhaust themselves to no purpose. Isn't all this from Adonai -Tzva'ot?

This is the city, once so joyful, whose people felt themselves secure, who used to say to herself, "I am [the greatest]! I have no rival." What a ruin she has become — a place for wild animals to lie down! Everyone passing by her hisses and shakes his fist!

I said, ‘Surely now you will fear me, you will receive correction'; so that her place will not be cut off by all the punishments I brought on her. But no, they only grew all the more eager to be corrupt in all that they do.

For then I will change the peoples, so that they will have pure lips, to call on the name of Adonai , all of them, and serve him with one accord.

"So is now the time for you to be living in your own paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?

This is why the sky above you has withheld the dew, so that there is none, and the land withholds its yield.

Adonai roused the spirit of Z'rubavel the son of Sh'alti'el, governor of Y'hudah, and the spirit of Y'hoshua the son of Y'hotzadak, the cohen hagadol, and the spirits of all the rest of the people; so that they came and began to work on the house of Adonai -Tzva'ot their God.

"This is in keeping with the word that I promised in a covenant with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit remains with you, so don't be afraid!"